Student misbehavior is still up — and teachers want parents to do more about it

Student behavior in the classroom is not improving, and teachers want parents to do more. 

An Education Week survey released this month found 64 percent of teachers reporting classroom behavior has gotten worse in the past year.  

Their No. 1 solution, coming from more than 60 educators, is smaller class sizes.

But teachers also said parents should do better at instructing their kids on how to behave — and that they should not undermine consequences a teacher gives them in school. 

More than 55 percent said parents should get instructions on teaching children how to behave in the classroom. A majority favored restricting screentime in schools and also said parents’ ability to undermine punishments such as detention should be limited.

And around 50 percent of teachers said tougher consequences for students such as suspensions or expulsions were needed.  

Experts say parental support can make or break student behavior in the classroom.

“I think the majority of parents are still very supportive of discipline in schools. I had a lot of conversations with parents at the beginning of the year who said, ‘If my kid does anything, even I don’t care how small it is, let me know. I’ll back you up on it’ … But because of that attitude, those are also the kids that generally aren’t misbehaving in schools,” said Daniel Buck, research fellow for the American Enterprise Institute and a former teacher and school administrator.  

Buck said it can be more difficult to work with parents who don’t believe in formal punitive punishment, parents who think their kid “can do no wrong” and those who are “not actually going to reinforce the school’s norm” at home. 

The tension between teachers and parents on this issue isn’t new but has been exacerbated by the problem of growing misbehavior since the pandemic.  

How to tackle it is the subject of lengthy debate, including a growing movement of individuals, from both the education community and parents, who say punitive punishments, such as suspensions, don’t work and restorative practices need to be the line of defense against bad student behavior.  

“I think everyone needs instruction on how to support youth development and how to support student behavior. And so, it needs to be a co-creation, a partnership effort … the issue is not necessarily that educators know best or that parents know best. It’s really just that we need to be making sure that collectively, we are using evidence based practices to support student discipline,” said Nancy Duchesneau, research senior manager and lead for social, emotional and academic development at EdTrust. 

Justin Wax, principal of Denham Springs Junior High in Louisiana, said his school has cut suspensions and expulsions in half over the past three years, offering tutoring during detention and alternatives to punishments such as having students participate in programs like a vaping education course.  

“Whenever parents send their students to school, we act as the parent on site … and just like in many home situations, the parents don’t always agree with what’s the best course of action to discipline.” Wax said, adding that, “oftentimes once we can remove issues of pride or personal preference and look exclusively at what students need and what helps a student to succeed, a lot of times that removes disagreement.” 

Some school leaders worry the pendulum swung too far towards less punitive discipline, and that a mix of restorative practices and consistent punishments helps students and keeps parent complaints at a minimum.   

Nicole Peterson, principal of Brentwood Middle School in Colorado, said it is the job of the educators to set expectations and teach classroom rules, not the parents, but the use of “strong routines, procedures, expectations, recognitions and consequences” to curb behavior reinforces that “we have every right to hold kids accountable in our spaces.” 

“But if we aren’t clear and consistent, then that’s when we run into issues of being undermined,” she added. 

Some parents balk at the idea that they might interfere with school discipline processes.

“It’s not possible for a parent to interfere with something happening with their own child,” said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union. “We don’t give up custody of our children when we send them to school, so the idea that we shouldn’t be a part or allowed to have any kind of say … just comes across in a pretty aggressive and offensive way. Again, these are our children” 

“Just on its face, it’s the audacity that’s really getting me,” she added.  

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Cruz proposes splitting ICE from Homeland Security funding bill to end airport ...

Republicans reject Democrats’ effort to pay TSA by suspending Senate rules

Graham to Trump: Consider removing ‘US bases from countries who won’t let ...

US speeds up deployment of thousands more Marines, sailors to Middle East

Speaker Mike Johnson faces potential attendance problems as major bills loom

Trump reacts to Robert Mueller death: ‘I’m glad’

Cuba rejects US embassy’s ‘shameless’ request for diesel

Democrats have scored wins in DHS fight — but are holding out for more

Pet food recalled for salmonella, listeria and E. coli

Maher outlines ways US ‘f—-ed up’ Iran conflict strategy

These cities have the highest pay, lowest cost of living for 2026: study

Student misbehavior is still up — and teachers want parents to do more about ...

Senate GOP plows forward on SAVE America Act amid pressure from right

Judge rules Pentagon press policy under Hegseth unconstitutional 

Senate passes measure prohibiting preferential airport screening for lawmakers

Trump says US will ‘obliterate’ Iranian power plants if Strait of Hormuz ...

Democrats block SAVE America Act amendment to bar transgender athletes in ...

© The Hill